Chayote

I brought a few home from the grocer to experiment with.  Raw, they are OK; somewhat bland.  They refrigerator pickle up to be quite yummy.  I haven't cooked with them yet; but I do believe I'll be trying out the recipe below.  I had one start to sprout in the veggie bowl; its been setting in a darkish coolish room; but is growing so fast I'm sticking it in a pot today.

Chayote @ Floridata " USDA Zones 8-11. Chayote vines are usually perennial, returning in spring after light freezes kill the vine to the ground in winter."   I plan to plant mine in the back of the parking pad garden; it won't get full sun; but will have plenty of fence and tree to grow on.  Do I really need two for propagation?  I might start with one this year and see how it goes.  I wonder if I could plant one out by the street light and let it climb the pole?  That spot is full sun.

Use Most parts of the chayote are edible; the starchy tuberous parts of the roots are used like potatoes, the shoots as a pot herb, the young leaves as spinach or as a medicinal tea, the fruit as a vegetable and the nutty stones inside the fruit are prized by cooks. When young the fruit can be eaten whole but as they get bigger it is best to remove the skins as these can get a bit tough. They are equally delicious raw or cooked and go well with nutty, hot, salty, spicy or sour flavours. I particularly like to cook them with coconut, lentils, peanuts, tomatoes, chilli and citrus. Lovely grated raw, sliced in salads, stir-fried, lightly boiled, baked, candied, pickled, pureed, mashed or added to soups, curries and stews. I’ve still have lots of experimenting to do with this vegetable in the kitchen but so far it really is a winner. Source

Chayote - a Neglected Crop "The chayote is used mainly for human consumption. The fruit, stems and young leaves as well as the tuberized portions of the roots are eaten as a vegetable, both alone and plain boiled, and as an ingredient of numerous stews. Because of its softness, the fruit has been used for children's food. juices, sauces and pasta dishes. In Mexico, an attempt has been made to increase the life of the fruit by drying it. The results have been positive and have enabled jams and other sweets to be prepared while also producing dried fruit which can be used as a vegetable after a certain time. Because of their flexibility and strength, the stems have been used in the craft manufacture of baskets and hats. In India, the fruit and roots are not only used as human food but also as fodder."

Young leaves in salad like spinach?  Shoots cooked?  Oh ymm.  And, it should be happy over the hot humid summers we have.  Will have to try this recipe; sounds so very good. 

Chayote Shoots with Ginger Pork

• One bunch of chayote shoots, tender parts only
• ½ to 1 pound of ground pork
• 1 red onion, diced
• 1 knob of ginger, peeled and minced
• 2 garlic gloves, peeled, degermed and minced
• 1/4 water or less

Instructions:

1. Discard all tendrils from the chayote shoots. Break the shoots in finger length pieces. Wash and dry (a salad spinner is ideal for this)
2. In cast iron pan, heat oil on medium/high heat, add the pork, and fry it on high heat for a few minutes until some of it is crispy, breaking the clumps apart. Add the onion, stir and fry until onions are translucent. Adjust the heat as necessary. Remove from pan and reserve
3. Add additional oil to the pan if necessary. Add the chayote shots, and stir fry until they start to turn limp. Add the ginger and garlic. Stir. Add a quarter cup of water or so. Cover and lower heat. Let steam for a few minutes. Add the pork & onion mixture, cover and cook about 20 minutes.
4. Serve with sticky rice and freshly made hot pepper sauce.

Source